


In the Dumps

by Chie (Chierafied)



Series: Fandom Events JL [15]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - The Office Fusion, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Denial of Feelings, F/M, One Shot, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Pining, Pranks and Practical Jokes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-12 04:46:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16866400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chierafied/pseuds/Chie
Summary: Lily wasn’t sure which kept her up at night more; the kiss or the confession.Probably the kiss – it has been so close to perfection that sometimes Lily wondered if she’d imagined the whole thing.Not that it mattered anyway, because she was with Benjy, she wasengagedto Benjy, and James Potter was gone.





	In the Dumps

**Author's Note:**

> Jilychallenge May 2018
> 
> **Theme:** TV shows  
>  **Prompt:** person A is in denial about liking person b since they transferred offices but everyone else is aware that person A misses person B and helping them with their pranks because “you are hopelessly in love with them and oh my gOD do i want to stop hearing about it” pam and jim the office au

Lily hadn’t slept properly for a week.

She wasn’t sure which kept her up more; the kiss or the confession.

Probably the kiss – it has been so close to perfection that sometimes Lily wondered if she’d imagined the whole thing.

Not that it mattered anyway, because she was with Benjy, she was  _engaged_  to Benjy, and James Potter was gone.

Lily had told him that a near-perfect kiss didn’t change anything. How could it? She and Benjy had been engaged for three years, and you did not just throw away  _three years_  because of one kiss.

So Lily had told him that she was still going to marry Benjy.

And James had put in a request for transfer and left.

Lily supposed it was easier that way, for him. She told herself she was happy for him.

She told herself it was easier this way for her too, that now she could concentrate on her work. Wouldn’t have to worry about any awkwardness between them. Wouldn’t have to fret if a kiss and confession had ruined a great friendship. Wouldn’t have to feel that stab of guilt whenever she’d catch a glimpse of him.

Because he had transferred into another branch. And she was happy for him.

Tears pricked her eyes, blurring her vision even though her fingers never wavered from typing up an email. Lily gritted her teeth, willed the corners of her lips to lift in a smile.

She was happy for him, and she was happy with Benjy.

 

* * *

 

Remus stood by the glass wall of Sirius’ office and stared out towards the reception desk through the slats of the blinds.

“She emailed out the meeting agenda yesterday but forgot to attach the file,” he hissed at Sirius. “We need to do something!”

“We need to do something because Lily forgot to attach a file?” Sirius scoffed. “That’s an easy mistake to make. Could happen to anyone.”

“Not to Lily,” Remus insisted and crossed his arms.

And scowl though Sirius might, Remus was right. Lily had never made such a mistake before; she double or triple checked every email before pressing send.

And this hadn’t been the first time Lily had slipped up this week. She was so deep in the dumps it was affecting her work. And her affected work was affecting Sirius’ work. And Sirius’ affected work was affecting the whole bloody office.

Sirius got out of his chair and joined Remus by the wall.

Lily’s official work title might’ve been a receptionist, but in truth, she was the backbone of the office, the one who managed the manager.

Peering out into the office, Sirius focused on his receptionist, giving her a quick but thorough once over.

Even at a glance, he could tell Lily Evans was not all right. She most definitely was not “fine” as she claimed to be every time someone asked her how she was doing.

She was looking paler than usual and there were dark circles under her eyes. Her fingers were no longer typing with their usual quick efficiency, instead moving over the keyboard slowly and sluggishly. And the usual ready smile was nowhere in sight.

Sirius sighed and turned away.  He strode back to his desk, feeling sick to his stomach, and sat heavily down into his chair.

“You got any suggestions then?” he asked, looking at Remus. “Any clever ideas how we could snap her out of it?”

Remus sighed as well and shook his head.

“James would know,” was all he said.

“And that’s the crux of the problem, isn’t it,” Sirius said wryly. “James is gone.”

“I guess we’ll need to ask ourselves what James would do,” Remus said, his faint smile the picture of sarcasm.

Sirius looked back at the glass wall and saw Peter walking past his office, a merry skip in his step.

A slow grin spread to his lips.

“I know what James would do.”

 

* * *

 

Lily didn’t look up when Sirius planted his elbows on top of the reception desk. Nor when he leaned in so that his head was hovering over Lily’s monitor.

Her gaze only flicked up when he started talking.

“Hey there, Lily, love, how are you doing?”

Her reply was both false and automatic. “I’m fine.”

“Uh-huh,” Sirius nodded distractedly. “Listen. We need to do something about Peter.”

Lily frowned at Sirius. “What? Why?”

“He’s become way too relaxed this week. Figures he’s safe now, no more pranks on his expense.” Sirius grinned. “Which is why he’ll never see one coming.”

Lily saw where Sirius was going, and at first felt reluctant to even consider the idea. Although she had frequently participated in pranking Peter, it had been mostly James’ pastime.

But James was gone, and it wasn’t like she had anything better to do – being a receptionist was hardly her dream job. If anything, it was a boredom she had to endure in order to pay her bills.

And pranking Peter had always cheered her up.

So she leaned closer to Sirius and lowered her voice into a whisper. “What did you have in mind?”

Sirius grimaced. “I couldn’t really come up with anything good, which is why I turned to you. Lily, love, give that brilliant brain of yours a whirl, would you?”

“All right, let me think for a moment…”

 

* * *

 

In the end, Lily decided to keep it simple.

When Peter went to the bathroom, she snuck over to his desk and computer, and created a quick macro in his word processor, so that every time he would try to type his name, ‘Peter’ would turn to ‘Prick’.

After that, she could just sit back behind the reception desk and wait for the snickers to erupt when people would notice.

It took Peter himself several hours until he caught on, and his dismay at having sent his customers documents with the new and improved name, and the fact that he had to call IT because “his computer was acting up” all but made Lily’s day.

Feeling the rush of victory, Lily grinned and looked around the office.

Her gaze landed at the empty desk.

The grin vanished.

Her victory was as empty as that unaccompanied desk nearest to hers. Because the person she wanted to share her victory with was gone. The laughing hazel eyes she had just tried to meet weren’t there.

Lily jumped up from her chair and rushed into the bathroom, even though she knew the queasy feeling in her stomach had no physical cause.

She locked herself into a stall and slumped on the toilet seat.

Her hand trembled, while her fingers kneaded her upper chest. Trying to ease the deep hollow ache – and failing.

Because that pain had no physical cause either.

Her breath lodged in her throat, a heavy unmoving mass, she squeezed her eyes shut.

A lone tear formed in the corner of Lily’s eye; rolled down her deathly pale cheek.

She’d have to break off her engagement after all.


End file.
